TWO  TRUE 
STORIES 


and  THEIR  SEQUEL 


INTERCHURCH-WORLD-MOVEMENT 
of  NORTH- AMERICA 
111-FIFTH-AVENUE  • NEWYORRC1TY 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 
Columbia  University  Libraries 


https://archive.org/details/twotruestoriesOOunse 


Two  True  Stories 

and 

Their  Sequel 


THE  ANGEL  IN  BLUE 

AND 

ON  THE  CURB 


INTERCHURCH  WORLD  MOVEMENT 
OF  NORTH  AMERICA 
hi  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York  City 


Price,  s cents  each;  50  cents  per  dozen; 
$2. 75  per  hundred 


The  Angel  in  Blue 

By  C.  A.  Kelley 

The  Policeman  who  Brought  Gifts  to  a 
Forgotten  Man 


Part  I 

''JpHERE  is  an  old  man  in  a city  not  far 
from  Chicago  who  is  leading  a heroic 
life.  He  is  retired  from  active  service,  and 
lives  with  his  aged  wife  in  a modest  cottage 
which  he  purchased  a few  years  ago  in  order 
that  he  and  his  companion  might  have  a 
place  in  which  to  spend  their  declining  years. 

He  receives  a pension  from  his  former 
employer,  but  it  is  only  half  of  what  he 
expected,  and  because  of  this  he  has  not  been 
able  to  make  the  payments  on  their  little 
home.  So  he  said  to  his  wife:  “You  take 
the  pension  money.  It  will  be  enough  to 
care  for  you  alone,  and  to  make  the  payments 
on  our  cottage,  and  I will  go  and  live  in  the 
‘Old  People’s  Home.’”  So  he  is  living  over 
yonder,  a hundred  miles  from  his  companion. 
Once  a year  he  goes  to  see  her,  turns  over  to 
her  his  meager  pension,  and  then  after  a 
joyful  visit  returns  to  the  “home”  for  another 
year. 

This  old  man  is  a hero,  and  his  companion 
is  not  less  heroic.  Few  know  of  the  struggles 
they  are  making  to  keep  the  wolf  from  the 
door,  for  they  are  quiet  souls  and  do  not 
advertise  their  poverty.  The  neighbors 
wonder  at  his  long  absence,  for  they  do  not 


5 


know  the  reason.  May  we  not  hope  that 
their  lives  be  spared  long  enough  for  them  to 
have  a few  years  together  before  death  brings 
the  final  earthly  separation  and  they  enter 
the  “house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal, 
in  the  heavens  ?” 

“Who  is  this  forgotten  man?”  He  is  a 
retired  minister  of  a great  church  which  pays 
him  only  half  the  amount  he  needs;  and  few 
voices  have  been  raised  in  his  behalf.  The 
highest  salary  he  ever  received  was  eight 
hundred  dollars,  and  upon  this  meager  income 
he  sent  two  daughters  to  college.  Is  it  any 
wonder  he  could  not  save  ? Perhaps  some  day 
his  great  and  prosperous  church  will  realize 
the  terrible  injustice  meted  out  to  this 
“forgotten  man.” 


Part  II 

On  the  second  day  after  this  story  was 
printed,  “The  Angel  in  Blue”  appeared — 
a uniformed  policeman — and  inquired  whether 
the  story  was  true.  “It  is  all  true,”  we 
replied.  “We  know  the  man  well.  He  is  an 
honored  Christian  minister.” 

“How  much  do  they  owe  on  their  cottage? 
Find  that  out  and  let  me  know,  and  if  it  is 
not  more  than  one  hundred  dollars,  I will 
pay  it  myself.  If  it  is  more,  I will  go  among 
my  friends  and  raise  the  amount  needed  to 
clear  the  home  of  debt  and  to  make  it  possible 
for  the  old  folks  to  live  together.” 

The  debt  proved  to  be  two  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars.  With  eager  heart  the  policeman 
went  out  among  his  friends  and  in  a few  days 
returned  with  his  face  radiant  at  the  thought 
of  the  joyful  surprise  he  would  bring  to  the 


6 


dear  old  couple.  On  Sunday  he  went  to  the 
cottage  to  deliver  the  gift  with  his  own  hands, 
receiving  the  gratitude  he  so  richly  deserved. 

It  was  a happy  day  for  the  messenger  and 
for  the  dear  old  people.  The  debt  is  paid. 
Their  home  is  free.  May  they  have  the 
privilege  of  living  long  together  to  enjoy 
the  twilight  of  their  departing  days! 

From  them  soon  came  a letter  saying:  “We 
want  to  tell  you  that  the  climax  was  reached 
Sunday  morning,  when  that  dear,  noble 
policeman,  with  a heart  to  be  touched  by 
the  story  of  another’s  need,  exhibiting  five 
crisp  fifty-dollar  bills,  told  the  story  and 
presented  the  money.  If  ‘gratitude  is  the 
fragrance  of  the  heart,’  then  mine  will  perfume 
all  his  days.  May  the  story  of  ‘The  Angel 
in  Blue’  encourage  others  in  the  hours  of 
darkness!” 


7 


? 


On  the  Curb 

By  C.  W.  Karns 


WHILE  walking  down  the  street  of  a certain 
city  one  hot  August  afternoon,  a voice 
called  to  me  from  across  the  shady  street. 
There,  seated  on  the  curb,  was  a retired 
preacher  from  a distant  part  of  the  state. 

My  inquiry  as  to  what  he  was  doing  there 
somewhat  embarrassed  him,  but  he  replied: 

“I  have  come  down  this  way  to  stay  awhile. 
You  know  that  ever  since  I retired  I have 
been  serving  a small  church  which  paid  me 
four  hundred  dollars  and,  with  the  help  of 
my  small  retiring  pension,  we  managed  to 
live.  But  this  spring  the  people  thought 
that  I was  too  old  and  wanted  a young  man. 
Having  no  income  except  my  pension  we 
could  not  pay  the  rent;  we  were  forced  to  give 
up  our  house  and  store  our  goods.  My  wife 
has  gone  to  live  with  her  brother,  and  I am 
going  to  live  with  our  married  daughter.” 

Tears  were  streaming  down  the  face  of 
the  old  man,  as  he  sobbed,  “and  I am  not  sure 
that  we  will  ever  keep  house  together  again.” 

I went  away  with  a heavy  heart.  The 
burden  that  this  good  man  carried  stayed  with 
me  for  weeks  as  I pondered  on  what  could  be 
done  to  help  him.  One  day,  by  appoint- 
ment, I met  a certain  man  at  his  home  and 
told  him  the  story  of  the  old  preacher  on  the 
curb.  With  moist  eyes  he  said: 

“I  am  heart-broken  for  that  good  brother! 
He  is  one  of  our  most  godly  men,  a fine  Greek 
and  Hebrew  scholar,  a good  preacher,  a man 


9 


who  for  fifty  years  has  served  the  church 
acceptably  without  a shadow  of  reproach. 
He  has  raised  a large  family.  His  work  was 
always  on  hard  circuits,  often  with  five  or 
six  appointments,  where  it  was  necessary 
to  keep  a horse  and  buggy  and  the  salary  was 
small.  What  can  we  do  to  help  him  ?” 

“You  have  a delightful  home,”  I said. 
“Everything  is  comfortable  and  convenient. 
But” — pointing  to  a little  house  on  the  bank 
across  the  street — “ I wish  that  we  had  a little 
house  like  that  for  that  old  preacher.” 

Finally  my  friend  said:  “I  cannot  get  away 
from  that  old  preacher  on  the  curb.  I have 
some  vacant  lots  just  above  here,  within  five 
minutes’  walk  of  the  trolley  cars.  I will  build 
a house  for  him,  a six-room  cottage  with 
electric  light,  bath,  hot  and  cold  water,  and 
steam  heat.  On  the  quarter  of  an  acre  of 
ground,  I will  set  out  fruit  trees  and  build  a 
chicken  pen,  so  that  the  old  preacher  may  have 
fruit  and  chickens.  It  will  be  ready  by 
December.” 

I wrote  to  the  old  preacher  telling  him  to 
notify  his  wife,  from  whom  he  was  separated 
one  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  to  get  ready  to 
move  into  a house  for  which  they  would  never 
need  to  pay  rent,  and  which  would  be  their 
home  as  long  as  they  should  live.  Their 
answer  is  one  of  my  most  precious  treasures. 

Friends  quietly  paid  the  storage  and  freight 
bills,  shipped  and  delivered  their  goods,  and 
set  them  up  in  housekeeping  in  the  delightful 
little  cottage.  There  was  no  happier  Christmas 
spent  by  any  people  than  by  these  good  folks, 
who  through  the  providence  of  God,  mani- 
fested by  the  kindness  of  His  servants,  were 
settled  in  their  comfortable  home. 


io 


, How  we  wish  that  such  a home  might  be 
provided  for  every  retired  minister!  May  the 
church,  created  by  the  services  and  sacrifices 
of  such  men,  make  provision  for  all  who  have 
given  their  lives  to  building  up  the  kingdom, 
so  that  never  again  shall  an  aged  minister, 
with  home  broken  up  for  lack  of  money  to 
pay  the  rent,  be  compelled  to  sit  and  mourn 
on  the  curb! 


